Since falling in love with Jamie Oliver's Chicken in Milk recipe, I've wanted to try another take on the concept and simmer a whole chicken in coconut milk. How decadent! Yesterday afternoon I had my chance when the weather in New York turned chilly and a friend with a two-week-old baby called hungry.
Recipe: Coconut Milk Chicken
It was fantastic. Imagine a succulent chicken bathed in a thick, sweet sauce with herbal citrus notes, alongside gorgeous little pink potatoes. Served with short-grain brown rice and some roasted root vegetables, it should feed the new family for a few days.
This recipe is highly adaptable: you could use olive or other vegetable oil instead of sesame, substitute basil or parsley for the cilantro, skip the lemongrass altogether if you can't find any, and tweak the amount of garlic to taste. For a spicy curry version, add a tablespoon of ground cumin and a pinch or two of chili powder. For the potatoes, which are optional of course, I used some beautiful Rose Finn heirloom potatoes, but you could use any low-starch potato. Larger potatoes like Yukon Golds should be cut into bite-sized chunks.
Chicken in Coconut Milk
serves 4
One 3-3.5 pound whole chicken
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 pound fingerling potatoes
2 cans (13 - 15oz) regular or light coconut milk
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
10 whole garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
Zest of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons chopped lemon grass stems
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper at a rate of about 1 tablespoon salt per pound and 1 tablespoon pepper per three pounds. Heat the butter and sesame oil in a pot that will fit the chicken snugly, like a Dutch oven, and set the chicken in the hot oil. Cook, turning the chicken to get an even golden color on all sides, about 5 minutes total.
Remove from the heat, put the chicken on a plate, and dispose of the fat left in the pot. Return the chicken to the pot with the rest of the ingredients, and cook in the preheated oven, basting with the cooking juices every 20 minutes, for 1 - 1.5 hours. It is done when the meat pulls away from the bone without much effort and the potatoes are tender when pricked with the end of a paring knife.
To serve, pull the meat off the bones and divide with potatoes between plates or serve on a platter. Spoon over a hefty helping of the milky sauce. Mind the cinnamon stick.
Related: Jamie's Chicken with Lemon and Milk
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Comments (15)
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coconut milk was my immediate reaction to that recipe too - love that you added potatoes! my version is here: http://healthy-delicious.com/2009/03/chicken-braised-in-coconut-milk/
view lsk's profile
I haven't made the Jamie Oliver recipe you cite although I used to make something I called "Chicken Falling Off the Bones" baked in milk.
I'm making YOURS this weekend. I'm clearing out the pantry and there's a can of coconut milk in there I need to use. Plus it's cold & gloomy and this looks like a good remedy for that.
view Charlotte's profile
This recipe sounds terrific. Do you have to prepare the whole chicken before starting the first step?
view Zach's profile
In Goa, a state in India, where my mom is from, they have a spicy chilli and coconut milk curry or sauce. Variations on this are what all kinds of meat and fish are cooked in. My favourite kind of chicken curry, it is the best!
view Chilli's profile
We made this chicken this weekend and it was fantastic:)) We even made two chikens at once for eight people and there was almost none left!!! hehe, perfect recipe:))
view justut's profile
This sounds yummy, I am definitely making it next weekend!
However, since I don't like cilantro I think I'll try with Kaffir Lime leaves instead. I look forward to seeing how it turns out :-)
view swisscheese's profile
in the oven right now!!
view sara.h's profile
I made this chicken last night, served it with rice and coriander and some simple french green beens.
I made a few slight changes: replaced the cinnamon for 2 star anise and I added a whole red chili (just split in 2) and some fresh mint. It was absolutely lovely and moist, just a bit on the bland side for my taste. Next time I think I'll triple the ginger and add another chili.
Alternatively, to make this even simpler for a weekday, I'll just use the coconut milk and store-bought green chili paste. Red chili paste would work just as well I guess!
All in all a great and versatile recipe!
view EvaInNL's profile
I got this in my e-mail Friday and made it Friday night - great recipe! I eat wheat-free so I especially appreciate recipes that are low-gluten. Thanks so much!
view cyndietodd's profile
Great recipe! I made it last night and it was a hit.
I found the lemongrass tended to crowd out the other flavorings, so in future I'll put less in and cut it into bigger pieces so it's easy to fish out later. I also salted the potatoes and the top of the chicken. But it was a really easy dish and just right for a cool weather Sunday dinner. Thanks!
view Elvis's profile
Finally had the chance to make this tonight. Made it in the crock pot instead of dutch oven and turned out delightfully yummy. I would probably salt and pepper the "sauce" too and I like the idea of adding a chili or chili paste next time. The potatoes were awesomely delicious.
view MKERachel's profile
01NOV2009
Dinner.
I followed the instructions exactly, except that I cut the chicken into 6 pieces: 2 legs, 2 wings, 2 half breasts.
It was delicious. The most tender chicken ever.
What would I change?
Next time I would add Thai red/green curry paste as I love hot & spicy food.
view davebarnes's profile
I followed the version of this recipe that came via email - it's not the same as this one? The email called for one can of coconut milk (instead of 2), no potatoes, whole lemon (instead of zest) and star anise. Well I'll have to try this one instead because the email version was SO bitter we could barely eat it. I don't know if it's because of the whole lemon cut into 8ths, the star anise or what? The chicken was super tender and juicy but the sauce was inedible - even with the addition of a lot of honey & sugar. Hoping for better things next time.
view cateler's profile
I just made this for dinner, made a few changes: chicken tenders instead of whole, no lemon grass and added carrots. I wouldn't recommend the tenders because they got over cooked, although I boiled the potatoes and carrots to speed up the cooking. I think it would be great with rice but I forgot I was out so I used orzo. My 10y/o old LOVED it and ate far more than I did.
view iGeekChic's profile
was very good and tender, but dark meat was a little on the greasy/rich/heavy side.
potatoes were wonderful, as was the flavor. i had alot of sauce left over so think i am going to use the sauce to simmer with vegetables (eggplant, squash) and cut up chicken breast. do you think i could freeze the sauce?
view frances12's profile